Tag: pellet grill

To brine or not to brine. Then if you decide to brine, is it a wet brine or a dry brine? Having cooked Turkey all three ways I now do a dry brine. Here is a great article, “The Quick and Dirty Guide to Brining Chicken or Turkey” that will explain the whole subject. https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/quick-and-dirty-guide-to-brining-turkey-chicken-thanksgiving.html

I have done Turkey on my pellet smoker for the last four years. It always turns out perfect. Only a couple of things to remember when buying a Turkey. Buy fresh if you can but more importantly, try to buy one that has not had salt added to it.

When looking at the label at the bottom, you might see ” Contains up to 4% of a solution of Water, Salt, and Spices to enhance tenderness and juiciness”. If you see this on the label move on. Just know it is difficult to find a Turkey that has not been enhanced. I had to order mine from Whole Foods for they were the only one with a fresh, unsalted bird.

How to Smoke a Turkey on a Pellet Smoker

A easy to do recipe that gets into brining and the correct way to do it.

Print Recipe

CourseMain Course

CuisineAmerican

Keywordbarbecue turkey, turkey, whole turkey

Prep Time30 minutes minutes

Cook Time3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time4 hours hours

Servings18

Calories680kcal

Equipment

• Recteq Grills Bullseye Wood Pellet Grill
• ThermoWorks Signals
• ThermoWorks BlueDOT

Ingredients

Turkey

• 1 Eighteen Pound Turkey

Dry Brine

• 6 tbsp Sea or Kosher Salt
• 2 tbsp Baking Soda

Turkey Rub

• 1 cup Sea or Kosher Salt
• 1 cup Granulated Garlic
• 1 tbsp McCormick Poultry Seasoning

Instructions

Dry Brine Turkey

• Combine 6 tablespoons Morton’s kosher salt with two tablespoons of baking powder in a bowl. Carefully pat your turkey dry with paper towels.
• Generously sprinkle it on all surfaces with the salt mixture by picking up the mixture between your thumb and fingers, holding it six to ten inches above the bird and letting the mixture shower down over the surface of the turkey for even coverage. The turkey should be well-coated with salt, though not completely encrusted. Leave in refrigerator for 24 hours.

The Cook

• Prepare the smoker loading it up with either Apple or Cherry wood pellets but use whatever you think will work for you.
• Make sure you have a water pan full of water the whole time you are smoking the Turkey. Prepare an 8 to 18 lb. thawed or fresh turkey by removing the giblets and neck, draining the juices, and drying with paper towels. The turkey should be completely thawed for even, safe cooking. Do not stuff your turkey. Brush the skin with olive oil and insert an oven-safe meat thermometer deep into the lower thigh.
• Preheat the smoker to 275F degrees. Place the turkey breast side up on the grill. Place an oven thermometer alongside the turkey to monitor its temperature. I use a remote thermometer so you can monitor the temperature and also set an alarm when it hits 165 degrees (done). Try to plan for about 15-18 minutes per pound when you smoke at around 275F-300F degrees. If you like the skin to be crispy raise temperature to 300F.
• Check the temperature of your turkey after 3½ hours. Your turkey must pass through a critical range of 40F to 140F in 4 hours or less. If the internal temperature is low after 3½ hours, take your turkey off the smoker and finish it in the oven. When done, remove the turkey from the smoker, protecting your hands with BBQ Gloves, and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.
• If you want to speed things up and actually have a better-cooked turkey watch the video below on how to Spatchcock a turkey. Also here is the Blog recipe – https://learntobbq.com/spatchcock-turkey-on-a-pellet-grill-using-a-almazan-knife/

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 680kcal | Protein: 84g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 260mg | Sodium: 800mg | Potassium: 1072mg | Iron: 7.2mg